BELL TOWNSHIP, Pa. (EYT) — A former employee of a Bell Township business has allegedly confessed to stealing cash from his employer. He then said he returned the money with an added sum as “interest.”
Court documents indicate that Punxsutawney-based State Police filed criminal charges against 22-year-old Adison John Neal, of Punxsutawney, on August 5, in Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office.
According to the criminal complaint, on July 23, 2024, at approximately 12:36 p.m., a known victim arrived at the State Police Station in Punxsutawney to report that Adison Neal entered her business on the 700 block of Graffius Avenue Extension, in Bell Township, Jefferson County, and removed an undisclosed amount of cash between July 18 and July 22.
The victim stated that on July 20, she installed cameras in the business. The first night no one was observed entering the building. On July 22, she observed Neal, one of her employees, enter the building and leave approximately three minutes later, according to the complaint.
On July 23 at approximately 2:00 p.m., Neal appeared at the State Police Station. He was interviewed and completed a non-custodial written statement form, confessing to entering the business shop and taking what he thought to be around $1,000.00 in cash, the complaint indicates.
According to the complaint, Neal told police he had worked for the business for approximately four years. He stated that business was slow, so his boss told him he wasn’t needed for the time being. If things picked up, his boss would call him.
Neal further related to the state police that on July 16, his boss asked him to return his parking permit. He told his boss he would return it back to the shop. At approximately 11:30 p.m. on July 16, Neal said he returned the parking permit. He said, “I entered the…shop to put the pass inside. That is when I saw the bag full of money.” He stated that night he took approximately $200.00 in cash, the complaint continues.
On July 17 at approximately 11:30 p.m., Neal again went to the business and entered the building. He found the money and took approximately $400.00 that night, the complaint indicates.
The complaint notes that Neal related this went on two more nights. On July 18, he took approximately $200.00 and on July 19, he took approximately $400.00.
According to Neal, he received a call from his boss asking him to bring back the money. He stated he returned the $1,000.00 plus $300.00 in “interest,” the complaint notes.
According to court records, Neal’s preliminary hearing is scheduled at 10:15 a.m. on September 12, on the following charges in front of Judge Mizerock:
Burglary (four counts), an ungraded felony
Criminal Trespass (three counts), a third degree felony
Theft by Unlawful Taking (four counts), an ungraded misdemeanor